26th Nov, 2024 10:00
Showcase Sale - Guitars, Music Memorabilia and Rare Vinyl Records
QUEEN - FREDDIE MERCURY HANDWRITTEN LYRICS FOR 'A KIND OF MAGIC' AND ' WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER'
Single A4 page from notebook containing draft, and near complete lyrics for ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ on one side and ‘A Kind of Magic’ on the reverse.
Both tracks are from the 1986 LP ‘A Kind of Magic’ and were featured in the classic film ‘Highlander’. Both tracks were released as singles during 1986 and achieved worldwide success. The tracks are considered by Queen fans worldwide as two of their best tracks.
These lyrics were handwritten by Freddie when recording the tracks in Mountain Studios, during late 1985 and January 1986. There are slight differences in the wording of some lyrics, as the tracks were taking shape during the recording process. The writing is in black ink and on an A4 page torn from a notepad.
The set of lyrics have been on display in Queen Studio Experience museum since it opened in 2013. Incredibly, nobody has ever seen the lyrics for ‘A Kind of Magic’ on the reverse side of ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’. This is the first time they are on public display.
The side with 'A Kind of Magic' features both Freddie and Roger Taylor's handwriting which is quite exceptional. 2 lines read "This Man Had a Goal, His Pain Was One Soul" which appears to be an early incarnation of "One Vision". The lyrics for 'Who Wants to Live Forever' are in all in Freddie's handwriting.
‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ was written by Brian May and both Brian and Freddie sing parts on the various releases. Freddie sang the entire version that featured in ‘Highlander’, and his vocals on this track are considered some of the best he ever recorded.
‘A Kind of Magic’ was written by Roger Taylor, but was a track that according to Roger, “Freddie really believed in this song and reworked it as a single”. Guitarist, Brian May also recalled, "Mercury ‘polished’ the lyrics, added the bassline, and re-arranged the structure, although the end result was still solely credited to Taylor. The track, as originally conceived by Roger, was lugubrious and heavy and Freddie totally lightened it up to make it a commercially accessible thing, adding all the little riffs.”
When interviewed about the track David Richards recalled "It was pretty hard to keep up with all Freddie’s ideas. I remember one day we were working on ‘A Kind of Magic’ and he said, ‘I want to hear a herd of wildebeests swinging from left to right.’ I said, ‘Oh yeah, fine, how am I going to do this?’ I spent another two days thinking about it, realizing he wanted some kind of stereo effect. Eventually, we came up with these magic effects that went swinging round.”
Having the opportunity to purchase one such set of lyrics very rarely happens. To have two incredible sets of lyrics, back to back, on the same page is unprecedented. The recent Freddie Mercury auction highlighted the demand for lyrics and it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Queen fans and collectors to both see and bid on this incredible set.
Provenance: Freddie's handwritten lyrics have been consigned by the estate of David Richards directly from the Mountain Studios archive and the Queen Studio Experience museum in Montreux, Switzerland where they were on display.
Co-producer for Queen’s later masterpieces, David Richards ensured every track had the magic Mercury envisioned. Best known for his work with Queen and David Bowie, David Richards co-produced Queen’s final 4 albums ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘The Miracle’, ‘Innuendo’ and ‘Made In Heaven’.
Richards was instrumental in crafting the sound that defined the band's latter years with hits including ‘’Under Pressure’’, ‘’A Kind Of Magic’’, ‘’Who Wants To Live Forever’’, "Innuendo”, “The Show Must Go On’’ and so many more. His collaboration with Freddie Mercury on the operatic album "Barcelona" with Montserrat Caballé highlighted his versatility and innovative approach to recording and production.
Beyond his work with Queen and Bowie, David Richards recorded and produced an array of artists including Iggy Pop, Chris Rea, Duran Duran, the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Chaka Khan, Christine McVie to name a few. From 1975 to 2013, he recorded the Montreux Jazz Festival contributing to the audio archive collection which has since been classified UNESCO World Heritage underscoring the global impact of his work.
With significant contributions to some of the most iconic recordings in music history, David Richards helped shape the soundscapes of generations.
In 2013 Brian May said , "Our recorded music will carry a testament to your great work forever".
Special Notice: No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property rights is included with the sale of the lot. Queen Productions Limited, Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights.
£100,000 - £150,000
Buyer's premium: 28.80% inc VAT
Please register to request a condition report
Single A4 page from notebook containing draft, and near complete lyrics for ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ on one side and ‘A Kind of Magic’ on the reverse.
Both tracks are from the 1986 LP ‘A Kind of Magic’ and were featured in the classic film ‘Highlander’. Both tracks were released as singles during 1986 and achieved worldwide success. The tracks are considered by Queen fans worldwide as two of their best tracks.
These lyrics were handwritten by Freddie when recording the tracks in Mountain Studios, during late 1985 and January 1986. There are slight differences in the wording of some lyrics, as the tracks were taking shape during the recording process. The writing is in black ink and on an A4 page torn from a notepad.
The set of lyrics have been on display in Queen Studio Experience museum since it opened in 2013. Incredibly, nobody has ever seen the lyrics for ‘A Kind of Magic’ on the reverse side of ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’. This is the first time they are on public display.
The side with 'A Kind of Magic' features both Freddie and Roger Taylor's handwriting which is quite exceptional. 2 lines read "This Man Had a Goal, His Pain Was One Soul" which appears to be an early incarnation of "One Vision". The lyrics for 'Who Wants to Live Forever' are in all in Freddie's handwriting.
‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ was written by Brian May and both Brian and Freddie sing parts on the various releases. Freddie sang the entire version that featured in ‘Highlander’, and his vocals on this track are considered some of the best he ever recorded.
‘A Kind of Magic’ was written by Roger Taylor, but was a track that according to Roger, “Freddie really believed in this song and reworked it as a single”. Guitarist, Brian May also recalled, "Mercury ‘polished’ the lyrics, added the bassline, and re-arranged the structure, although the end result was still solely credited to Taylor. The track, as originally conceived by Roger, was lugubrious and heavy and Freddie totally lightened it up to make it a commercially accessible thing, adding all the little riffs.”
When interviewed about the track David Richards recalled "It was pretty hard to keep up with all Freddie’s ideas. I remember one day we were working on ‘A Kind of Magic’ and he said, ‘I want to hear a herd of wildebeests swinging from left to right.’ I said, ‘Oh yeah, fine, how am I going to do this?’ I spent another two days thinking about it, realizing he wanted some kind of stereo effect. Eventually, we came up with these magic effects that went swinging round.”
Having the opportunity to purchase one such set of lyrics very rarely happens. To have two incredible sets of lyrics, back to back, on the same page is unprecedented. The recent Freddie Mercury auction highlighted the demand for lyrics and it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Queen fans and collectors to both see and bid on this incredible set.
Provenance: Freddie's handwritten lyrics have been consigned by the estate of David Richards directly from the Mountain Studios archive and the Queen Studio Experience museum in Montreux, Switzerland where they were on display.
Co-producer for Queen’s later masterpieces, David Richards ensured every track had the magic Mercury envisioned. Best known for his work with Queen and David Bowie, David Richards co-produced Queen’s final 4 albums ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘The Miracle’, ‘Innuendo’ and ‘Made In Heaven’.
Richards was instrumental in crafting the sound that defined the band's latter years with hits including ‘’Under Pressure’’, ‘’A Kind Of Magic’’, ‘’Who Wants To Live Forever’’, "Innuendo”, “The Show Must Go On’’ and so many more. His collaboration with Freddie Mercury on the operatic album "Barcelona" with Montserrat Caballé highlighted his versatility and innovative approach to recording and production.
Beyond his work with Queen and Bowie, David Richards recorded and produced an array of artists including Iggy Pop, Chris Rea, Duran Duran, the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Chaka Khan, Christine McVie to name a few. From 1975 to 2013, he recorded the Montreux Jazz Festival contributing to the audio archive collection which has since been classified UNESCO World Heritage underscoring the global impact of his work.
With significant contributions to some of the most iconic recordings in music history, David Richards helped shape the soundscapes of generations.
In 2013 Brian May said , "Our recorded music will carry a testament to your great work forever".
Special Notice: No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property rights is included with the sale of the lot. Queen Productions Limited, Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL BIDS ARE LEGALLY BINDING AND CANNOT BE CANCELLED ONCE PLACED, SO PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE PLACING ANY BIDS.
Please note that due to current government regulations our auctions will be held live online with no in-room bidding available. There are lots of other ways to join our auctions remotely:
By absentee bid
If you are unable to attend the auction you can leave an absentee bid on our website. The amount you bid should be your maximum bid. The system will bid up to that limit for you, and remember you may end up paying less than your limit, depending on other bidding on the day.
A buyer premium of 28% (inclusive of VAT) will be added to the hammer price (23.34%+VAT)
For example, if you bid up to £100, you will pay £128.00 in total
Bid live online on our website (Omega Live)
Many clients prefer bidding live online at our auctions. It’s easy to register with us online, you can watch the auction as it happens and place bids from the comfort of your desktop/ mobile device.
A buyer premium of 28% (inclusive of VAT) will be added to the hammer price (23.34%+VAT)
For example, if you bid up to £100, you will pay £128.00 in total
Bid live online via the-saleroom.com
There is an additional 5%+VAT charge for bidding via the-saleroom.com
The total charges (buyer premium + saleroom.com charge) will be 34% (inclusive of VAT) on top of the hammer price (23.34%+VAT).
For example, if you bid up to £100, you will pay £134.00 in total
By telephone
For lots with a low estimate of more than £500, we may be able to arrange a telephone bid. If you would like to bid by telephone please contact our team prior to the auction with your details of the lots you are interested in and your full name, mailing address, telephone number(s) and email. Once our team have processed your bid request you will receive an email confirmation.
A buyer premium of 28% will be added to the hammer price (23.34%+VAT)
For example, if you bid up to £100, you will pay £128.00 in total
Please note that all absentee and telephone bid requests must be received by close of business the day before the auction.
Registration on Omega Auctions website
In order to leave an absentee bid or bid live on our website, you will need to register for an account.
You will need to enter a valid credit/credit card in order to place absentee bids or register for live bidding.
We amended our bidding platform on 4th November 2020, so even if you have bid before, you may need to re-register.
For live bidding, it is possible to pre-register up to 21 days before the sale. We advise that you register at least 24 hours before each sale, to ensure that your registration is processed and you are able to bid on the day of the sale.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL BIDS ARE LEGALLY BINDING AND CANNOT BE CANCELLED ONCE PLACED, SO PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE PLACING ANY BIDS.
Payment Methods
Bank Transfer/BACS/Wire
Debit Card (up to £5000)
Credit Card (up to £5000)
A surcharge of 3% will apply on overseas card payments
We do not take card payments over the telephone. Card payments can be made in person (CHIP & PIN) or online only.
PAYMENT IS REQUIRED WITHIN TWO WORKING DAYS OF THE END OF THE SALE.
Auction: Showcase Sale - Guitars, Music Memorabilia and Rare Vinyl Records, 26th Nov, 2024
Viewing
Viewing by appointment 25th November
CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR BUYERS
1. GENERAL
Whilst Omega Auctions Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of their catalogue and the description of any lot:
i. each lot as set out in the catalogue or as divided or combined with any other lot or lots is sold by the vendor with all faults, imperfections and errors of
descriptions
ii. Omega Auctions Ltd does not accept responsibility for the authenticity, attribution, genuineness, origin, authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of
any lot, unless they have been instructed in writing by the vendors so to certify and in such case the Auctioneers do so as agents of the vendor and are not,
themselves, responsible for such claims.
iii. all statements, whether printed in the catalogue or made orally, as to any of the matters set out in (ii) above, are statements of opinion only and are not to be
taken as being or implying any warranties or representations of fact by Omega Auctions Ltd, unless they have been instructed in writing by the vendor so to certify,
and in such case the Auctioneers do so as agents of the vendor and are not themselves responsible for such claims.
iv. the Auctioneer must receive any claim under any Statute in writing within 14 days of the day of the sale.
v. the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) is not applicable
THE BUYER
1. The highest bidder acceptable to the Auctioneer shall be the Buyer. The Auctioneer shall have absolute discretion to settle any dispute and to refuse bids or to
advance the bidding as seen fit.
2. Every bidder shall be deemed to act as a principal unless in receipt of written acknowledgement by the Auctioneer that the bidder is acting as agent on behalf of a
disclosed principal.
3. Bidding in person, by telephone or absentee bids placed directly with Omega Auctions - The Buyer must complete a registration form and provide identification/proof
of address, prior to bidding, following which a bidder number will be issued. The Auctioneer may refuse a bid or re-offer a Lot if a Buyer has not registered and/or
has no current bidder number. Following a successful bid, the Buyer shall pay the Auctioneer in full the Hammer Price (plus VAT where applicable, payable in accordance
with clause 9 below) together with the Buyers Premium, by the close of business on the day of the sale, where the Buyer has bid in person within the saleroom. Where the Buyer has
purchased an item via a telephone or commission bid, payment must be made within 2 working days of the sale. Payments via international debit/credit card will incur an additional fee. No additional fee is charged for UK debit card payments.
4. Online Bidding - Omega Auctions offer an online bidding service via the Omega Auctions website and also the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot attend the sale.
In completing the bidder registration on www.omegaauctions.co.uk or www.the-saleroom.com and providing your credit/debit card details you:
a. authorise Omega Auctions, if they so wish, to charge the debit/credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees/charges, for items successfully
purchased in the auction via the-saleroom.com, and
b. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Omega Auctions via www.omegaauctions.co.uk or through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Omega Auctions are entitled to
ship the goods from their UK offices to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale. Additional charges will be incurred for
postage and packing where applicable.
5. Where a Lot is marked by a ** VAT is payable on the Hammer Price at the standard rate.
6. The ownership of a Lot shall not pass to the Buyer and the Buyer shall not be entitled to remove any Lot until he has made full payment to the Auctioneer of the
total amount due. Payment shall be deemed to have been made only after the Auctioneer has received cleared funds.
7. All Lots bought within the saleroom must be paid for and removed at the Buyers risk and expense by the close of business on the day of the sale. All lots bought either online or via
telephone/commission bid must be paid for within 2 working days of the auction and collected from Omega Auctions UK offices/delivery arranged at the Buyers risk and
expense, within 2 working days of the auction. Payment may be made by bank transfer, credit/debit card (up to £5,000) or cash (up to £8,000). Card payments can only be made online or in person. Card payments cannot be made over the telephone. Where payment is made via debit/credit card with the cardholder not present, Omega Auctions reserve the right to defer
collection/dispatch of items until payment has cleared (normally 3 working days) and will require proof of identification on collection. Where an item is to be
collected by somebody other than the Buyer, written instructions shall be required from the Buyer in advance and the person collecting will be required to provide
proof of identification. The Buyer will be responsible for all storage charges thereafter, which will be charged at the Auctioneer's current charge rates.
8. We require payment to terms (see condition 7). Payment must be made on time, in full, and without any deduction, set off or counterclaim. An account remaining outstanding after 7 days will have a £24 (inclusive of VAT) administration charge applied. In the event that an account is outstanding after 14 days, we will refer the matter to our debt collection agents, Daniels Silverman Limited, which will incur a surcharge of 20% of the debt, plus VAT at the prevailing rate. You agree that you will be legally liable to pay us that surcharge, and that payment of the same can be enforced against you in court. You also agree to pay interest at the relevant reference rate provided for under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, which interest is payable both after and before any judgment of the court and continues to accrue. Furthermore, the Auctioneer, at his absolute discretion and without prejudice to any other rights he may have, may exercise any of the
following rights and remedies.
i. proceed against the Buyer for breach of contract
ii. rescind the sale of all or any Lots sold to the Buyer
iii. re-sell all or any Lots by public auction or private treaty and deficiencies in the purchase price resulting from such sale (after giving credit for any prior
payment received from the Buyer) together with full costs incurred in connection with the Lot or Lots, shall be paid to the Auctioneer by the Buyer. Any surplus over
the proceeds of the sale shall go to the Seller.
iv. remove, store and insure (on any premises) the Lot or Lots at the expense of the Buyer.
v. retain the Lot or any other Lot sold to the Buyer at the same or any other auction and release the same only after payment of the full purchase price.
vi. reject any bids made by or on behalf of the Buyer at any future auction or obtain part-payment before accepting any future bids, or
vii. apply any proceeds of sale then due or at any time thereafter becoming due to the Buyer, towards settlement of the total amount due and exercise a lien on any
property of the Buyer which is in the Auctioneers possession for any purpose.
9.
i. Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition. The catalogue description is for guidance only and does not imply an item is
free from defects, nor does a reference to specific defects imply the absence of others.
ii. Prospective buyers are strongly advised to examine personally, any goods in which they are interested before the auction takes place. The Auctioneer can provide
condition reports on request, but provide no guarantee to reports given other than in relation of forgeries as referred to in clause 9(iii)
iii. Any Lot which is claimed by the Buyer to be a forgery may be returned to the Auctioneer in the same condition in which it was sold, within 14 days of the sale,
together with evidence from two independent experts. If the Auctioneer is satisfied that the claim is justified and that the Buyer is able to transfer a good and
marketable title to the Lot free from any third party claims, the Auctioneer will rescind the sale and refund any amount paid by the Buyer to the Auctioneer.
iv. Any claim by the Buyer under this condition shall be limited to the amount paid by the Buyer to the Auctioneer for the Lot.
10. The Auctioneer will, on the Buyers written instructions, execute bids on their behalf, but neither the Auctioneer nor his employees nor agents shall be liable for
any neglect in doing or failing to do so.
11. These conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.
12. The Auctioneer reserves the right to request a deposit of 50% of the total due from the Buyers successful bidding. This request may be made at any time during the
auction. Should the Auctioneers request not be complied with, those Lots designated to the Buyer will be re-offered for sale.
13. With the exception of vinyl records and small, non-delicate items up to the value of £10,000, Omega Auctions do not offer a packing and shipping service. Where
Omega Auctions have agreed to pack and send an item, this will be done at the buyers risk and expense.
We can usually arrange shipping for invoices with a value less than £10,000/10,000 Euros, which can easily be shipped via our nominated courier (DPD, Fedex or DHL). We cannot insure against broken glass and whilst we package carefully, we cannot accept any liability for damage in transit. For framed items we can either remove from frames or ship in frames at your risk. For large (more than 4 boxes), bulky, awkward or particularly fragile items please check with us in advance that we are able to ship. We are happy to provide an approximate shipping quote in advance of the sale for items you are interested in. Please note that we do not provide a packaging only service.
